Standard Reporter

A sum of £20,000 will be spent on Christmas lights to get Gainsborough town centre in the festive spirit this year.

The joint investment from Gainsborough Town Council and West Lindsey District Council will go towards changing the current blue and white decorations that hang across key streets in the town to red and white, to co-ordinate with the display in Marshall’s Yard.

There will also be icicle style lights hanging from all properties on Market Place and Church Street, and decorated lampposts.

The Christmas lights will be switched on at 5pm in the town centre and 6pm in Marshall’s Yard on Saturday, November 21.

Coun Lesley Rollings, chairman of the community services committee for the town council, brought the suggestion of a new Christmas lights scheme to full council which was supported last week.

“I’m thrilled that we’re able to achieve a new Christmas lights scheme this year with thanks to the district council for their financial assistance enabling this to happen,” she said.

“The Christmas lights switch on event is growing in size year-on-year due to our joint partnership working with Marshall’s Yard and WLDC and we need a scheme to match this and impress our many visitors who now attend.”

West Lindsey District Council bosses said they supported the bid as they could ‘see the commercial benefits to the town’.

Coun Owen Bierley, chairman of the council’s prosperous communities committee, said: “Christmas is an important trading period for businesses and we recognise how important the appearance of the town is and the need to do whatever possible to drive footfall. The new lighting scheme is one of many projects we are assisting with to boost the town centre and encourage spend.”

It is hoped that the investment will help kick-start a busy trading period for businesses within the town.

Chairman of the Independents in Gainsborough Group and DN21’s Business Person of the Year finalist, Dawn Barron, of Barron Bou, said: “We are very pleased with the investment being made into the town. Christmas is a crucial trading period and we should go all out to ensure Gainsborough stands out as the place to come to shop.

“We have a great switch on event and now we have the lights to match.”

A window display competition will run on the same day as the Christmas switch-on event with the mayor of Gainsborough judging the best business.